Coconut products are getting more and more space on store shelves. We wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
Coconut protein powder
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Carrington Farms is working in a lot of product categories that are making their way into our homes these days. These include coconut products including unrefined organic virgin coconut oil, liquid coconut cooking oil (both plain and flavored) and coconut oil cooking spray. We tried their organic Coconut Protein Blend, a mix of coconut powder, pumpkin powder and pea powder. Each serving provides 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of dietary fiber. It’s easy to add to smoothies, or to put a few tablespoons in your muffin batter, especially good for anyone in your life who’s looking for more sources of plant-based protein.
$19.99 per 12-ounce bag. Available at Walmart, Publix and Target. carringtonfarms.com
Coconut cheese
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
We've been enjoying nut-based "cheeses" which have all the tang of dairy cheese, but none of the dairy fat. So we were intrigued with the idea of a cheese based on coconut. We tried the Coconut Herb with Black Pepper slices from the folks at Chao Creamery, a part of Seattle-based Field Roast. The slices look like white American cheese but they have a firmer texture. The cheese is flavored with chao tofu, a traditionally fermented food that's made in Taiwan, and the cheese itself is made in Greece. There's definitely a coconut undertone in this one, but they also make an original flavor and Tomato Cayenne. The slices melt perfectly, not an easy feat for a dairy-free cheese. $5.99 per 7-ounce package. Available at Sevananda, Sprouts, Return to Eden, Rainbow Grocery, Publix, Nature's Own Herb Shoppe, Goodness Grocery, Walmart and Whole Foods. fieldroast.com/product-family/chao-slices
Coconut flour
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Coconut flour is such an interesting ingredient to cook with. It’s flour ground from dried, defatted coconut meat. We tried Bob’s Red Mill organic coconut flour and used it to bake a chocolate brownie recipe we found on the Bob’s Red Mill website. Because coconut flour is high in fiber and amazingly absorbent, recipes that use it call for just a little of the flour and a lot of eggs. The brownies used no flour other than 1/2 cup of coconut flour. (And 1/2 cup cocoa plus six eggs.) The brownies were delicious with a really nice texture and we couldn’t tell there was coconut in there at all. (Not that coconut would have been a bad thing!) It’s just right for anyone looking for low carb alternatives.
$4.99 per 16-ounce package. Available at Publix, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Kroger, Target, The Fresh Market and Earth Fare. bobsredmill.com
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